Endosseous dental implantology uses cylindrical or conical implants which are inserted into a hole made in the bone called the implant site. The implant site is generally made with spiral-shaped rotating drills, driven by micromotors. The drills have variable diameters and are applied in ascending order until a hole of the size chosen to accommodate the implant is obtained.
These methods present severe limitations if they are to be used in difficult situations (such as, for example, restricted surgery access or anatomically delicate bone conditions, and in particular when it is necessary to operate in the vicinity of soft tissue.
The cutting characteristics of the techniques currently in use are unsatisfactory because the rotation of the drill and the consequent macrovibrations generated reduce the operator's tactile sensitivity with a consequent loss of control of the cutting depth. Furthermore, the high mechanical energy produced by the use of these instruments increases the risk of overheating of the tissues involved, compromising healing thereof.
Rotating drills act both on mineralized and non-mineralized tissue and consequently it is possible to damage involuntarily the soft tissue and the delicate structures (for example the vascular nerve bundles) near to the operating field.